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(No Model.)

0. G. UDELL.

CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT.

No. 350,173. Patented Oct. 5, 1886 UNITE STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CLOTHES-LINE SUPPORT.

LEFIQH forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,173, dated OctobG-i 5, 1886.

Application tiled May 9, I883. Serial No. 161,972. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may (o/warn:

Be it known that I, CALVIN G. Unnm, a resident of North Indianapolis, Indiana, have made certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Clothes-Line Supports, a description of which is set forth in the following specifieation, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like letters indicate like parts.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction ofclothes-l i ne supports, wherein a pair of parallel bars are adapted to slide upon each other in clamps and guides; and it consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the several parts, as hereinafter set forth and claimed, and will be understood from the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of my device with a portion of the bars broken away, showing the method of attaclr ing the hinging clamp. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same, with the upper end of one bar broken away to show the method of attach ment of the fork. Fig. 3 is a cross section of the bars at the point where they are inclosed in the guide 5 showing also a top view 01: the guide with its spurs driven into one of the bars. Fig. 4. is a cross-section of the bars at the point where the clamp is attached, showing the method of attaching or hinging this clamp to one of the bars and the manner in which this locking-edge strikes the rear of the other bar.

In detail, ppare the two poles, constructed of wood and 01' a rectangular shape. On the lower end of the pole is a wedge-shaped point, up, formed with an opening between its sides adapted to fit the wedge-shaped point of the pole, having a thin web, 10, of the same material between the sides, extending up a short distance, which is intended to be entered in an open slot sawed in the end of the pole. This point is made of malleable iron, and is provided with little spurs 8 and 9, and when the point of the pole is inserted the two sides are hammered down, so as to force these spurs into the wood 011 either side, thus firmly securing this point to the end of the pole. On the upper end of the pole 7) is seen a forkshaped piece, 1', the line being intended to rest in the fork formed of the two lingers thereof. These fingers are formed integral with asqnare metal base, and directly under this base and in line with these lingers is a web, 1r, which is adapted to fit in an open slot formed in the end of this pole. On either side of this web are legs, each of which is provided with aspur, 1. and 2, and the end of this pole having been pushed up between these legs, the web wheing received in the open slot at the end of the pole, the legs are driven down on each side with a hammer, so that the spurs l and 2 will enter the wood, thus securing this forked piece firmly to the top of the pole.

is a guide-clamp, formed, as shown in Fig. 3, with spurs 5 and 6 on either side near its ends, and spurs 3 and 4 formed at its ends, an opening being left bet ween these spurs 3 and 1-, as also shown in Fig. 3. This guide, like the wedge-point and the fork, is also formed of malleable iron, and is opened at the front end, the sides being pulled apart by the hand, so that the pole p may pass up through the clamp without engaging with the spurs, and when this pole p and the other pole, p, are in place the spurs 5 and ti on the sides and the spurs 3 and 4 on the front end are hammered down into the wood of the pole p, securely fastening this guide to such pole. This leaves the polep free to move on the inside face of the pole in a vertical direction either way.

In Fig. 4 is shown a clamp, c, which is formed with a projecting handle, h, and lugs? at either end of this handle, which are adapted at certain points to press against the outside of the pole p. p p are small cylindrical projections formed on the inside of this clamp and near the lugs I, and are intended to serve as hinging-pivots. IVhen constructed, this clamp is spread more between the sides on which these pivots are formed than shown in Fig. 4, and being made of malleable iron there is no difliculty in bending them after they are cast to the desired shape. A hole is bored through or part way through from each side the pole p, to receive these pivots p and this pole be ing pushed up between these pivots, which are spread apart far enough to allow the pole to pass up, by a smart blow of a hammer on each side of the clamp the pivots p are driven into the holes on either side of the pole 1), thus forming a pivot on each side, on which the clamp may be rocked slightly up and down. On the inside at the other end of this clamp is formed a projecting edge, as shown at 7 in Fig. 1,which is preferably made sharp enough to bite the front side of the pole p when the weight of the pole 12 presses down upon the pivots of the forward portion of this clamp, thus depressing the pivot end and slightly raising the opposite end of the clamp, and causlng the projection 7 to press firmly against the side of the pole 12 withwhich it comes in contact. This forms a simple and secure locking device,which fixes and holds the two poles at any point within the limit of the vertical movement allowed. The pole may therefore be raised, so that the clamp c and the guide g may be brought in contact, and may be lowered so as to bring the lower end of the pole 1; down close to the wedgepoint wp by means of the handle h, a slight upward'pressure onthis handle being sufficient to disengage the lock formed by the pressure of the projection 7 against the side of the pole p, and when the pressure on this handle is released the weight of the pole p, pressing down on the PIVOtSP brings the projection 7 again in contact with the front of the pole 1), locking the two at that point.

I am aware that clothes-line supports formed of two bars, the one adapted to slide upon the face of the other, are not new, and do not broadly claim the same as my invention; but these old devices have been locked in an entirely diffenent manner from. that herein shown, some of them requiring notches to be formed in the side of one of the poles to receive a link or pawl, and others providing an eccentric or cam for locking the parts in place, and none of them, so far as I am aware, operating in the manner shown herein.

2. The guide 9, provided with spurs on the sides and on one end for driving into the pole, substantially as described.

3. The clamp 0, provided with pivots p on k the inside, projection 7 at one end, and the lugs land handle h at the other, substantially as described.

4. The wedge-point 20 adapted to receive the wedge-shaped end of the pole p, and pro vided with the transverse central web, 10, and the spurs 8 and 9, substantially as described.

5. The pole p, having the clamp c hinged at the lower end thereof by means of the piv ots 1), formed on the inside of the clamp, the forked piece f, having the central web, in, fastened to the upper end thereof, in the manner herein shown, and the pole 1), having the guide g fastened at the upper'end thereof, all combined substantially as described.

6. The pole 1), having the forked piece f, provided with the web w and the spurs 1 and 2, fastened to the upper end thereof, in the manner herein shown, the clamp a, hinged to the lower end thereof by the pivots p entering openings in the sides of the pole, the pole p, having the guide 9 fastened to the upper end thereof, and the wedgepoint top at the lower end thereof, all combined substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 30th day of April, 1885. r

CALVIN G. UDELL.

\Vit nesses:

G. P. JACOBS, WM. E. BARTON. 

